Collector Series Insanity

Well not infected with collector series, I do feel compelled in completing sets-esp passenger sets. Some exceptions are my Conrail OCS set and the Amtrak set- trying hard not to buy the RPO car

Not really a collection, but I have a bunch of the mth Isaly stuff- loved it from day one & use all of it on the display as well as create more of it that was never offered. My Grandparents dairy shipped milk to Isaly's. Family connection...

Had the Mint car thing going for quite some time. Sold them all except one, including the rare 50th anniversary convention banquet dinner mint car. 

 

Tastes change. Anyone want the GG1 that goes with the cars 

 

Paul

When I first got back into the hobby in 1979, I used to attend trains shows in the area and purchased everything that I could get my hands on. Today the basement is full of trains and when I began my layout 10 years ago it became obvious that I could only put six sets on the layout (four running and two on the sidings). Everything else has to sit on shelves and there are 100's of pieces in my collection. Collecting and operating is fun but you reach a point where buying must be cut back to a more specialized and purposeful mode. Today all purchases are thought about carefully but I am still buying. Perhaps my buying habits are indicative of a mental illness, abnormality or obsession........ but you only live once!

Seems a bit strange to not be able to forsee the pitfalls of buying everything offered by the mfg's.
The joy of the acquisition is short lived.

I can't relate as I'm alwYs looking at ways to streamline the modest collection that we have rather than buying more.

Scott:  

 

I know exactly how you are feeling.  If I buy an engine or loco, I beat the bushes trying to find or locate a matching caboose, and a matching or complimentary consist, if possible.  I find I can't rest until I've finished the "set", even if it isn't really a set.  

then, when I've accomplished my task, I ask myself, "why do I continue to do this?"

 

I think there may be others like us in this life, and, even closer, in this hobby.  We are not alone.   Bob Severin

quote:

Anyone else out been hooked on a collector car series?

 

I liked Lionel's billboard reefers (like 9850) and purchased them as they came out. Then Lionel decided to put some of them in sets, not cataloged for separate sale. I stopped buying them, and sold a good portion of the ones I had. I still have the first ones, with numbers between 9850 and 9860.

Here, upon reading this, I was sorry we were past Thanksgiving, so I couldn't give

thanks for not being that kind of the collector....and then...I remembered Atlas reefers...(fortunately, Atlas is producing fewer of those, forcing a controlled addiction)

For some reason in 2012 I decided to collect every TMCC GP7/9 catalogued.  I love them all, they all have different sounds and are to me, an icon of the TMCC era from start to finish.  But, it probably is a tad overkill, especially since I had to move and tear down my layout.   I got most of them cheap, some for $150.  My favorites are probably the triple lashup sets.  The only catalogued Geep I don't have is the red US Army one from 2003, and I don't think it was ever made.

I have all of the Gadsden Pacific Toy Train Museum's Lionel ore cars and Weaver box cars. But then, I'm an active member of the organization so the annual car is just another contribution to the cause. I got lucky when I first joined and a guy was selling most of the back numbers as a set for a really good price, so completing the set was an easy task.

 

I also get all of the Milwaukee Lionel Railroad Club's annual issues, except the aquarium cars. Since I am a Milwaukee Road fan, this fits right in with my overall theme. I only have one of the four aquarium cars they've issued. I don't much care for aquarium cars in the first place and I loathe anything blue and orange (it's the tacky color combination, not the association with Lionel). I do have one in silver that I thought looked OK. Apparently a lot of people like aquarium cars, though; the fact that they keep issuing them suggests that there is a big demand. The aquarium car is a worthwhile fund raising deal as it is a joint effort with the Reiman Aquarium in Milwaukee. 

 

Apart from those two, where I have a direct, personal interest, I don't do collector series. I do try to complete a set of something I like. It took me years to get all the cars in the Weaver ribside Hiawatha set (the single coach add-on is almost impossible to find) and I'm still looking for a diner for my MTH Standard Gauge Ives Olympian set in Hiawatha colors. 

Like the renowned movie of 2014, "Boyhood", there is an element of truth in there for all of us, girls included.

i returned to the hobby in 1996 about the time CENTURY CLUB 1 came out. I thought it would be neat to collect all of this series. So, i have almost every piece made...Then here came CENTURY CLUB 2, so, I did the same...Oh well, Then there came Legacy...Although I can not collect all of a Series, it's lots more fun to Run...

When I get any passenger train loco, such as the Legacy UP E9 set for the City of LA, or the Blue Comet, or a NYC Dreyfus Hudson, I want at least a seven-car train behind it - so for those passenger trains I work hard to 'collect' the cars, etc., I need.  Otherwise, no.

I have all of the Lionel USMC cars and engine that were released. Im hoping they create more or I can get my hands on some postwar cars

Scott, if possible maybe you should enlarge your layout. That way you could accommodate a couple more freight cars.

I really like the railroad art boxcars and I have 7 of them. Not the complete set. I only purchase the ones I really like. An incomplete collection doesn't bother me a bit but like Lee if I buy a loco I will always purchase the passenger set and often the add on two pack. Nowdays I only buy if I sell a corresponding amount of trains. Keeps it under control. 

Well, I have all the MTH York boxcars, split off as a dedicated train after my "Industry Special" (all the company-as-roadname fleet) became top-heavy with MTH equipment. It grows by a couple of cars every year. An open-ended commitment if I ever saw one.

 

At least the industry special train stopped growing

 

---PCJ

The modern era 6464-numbered series has been my kryptonite. I'm up to about 140 or so cars, missing only the RGS/Weaver Repaint from the Pittsburgh TCA Convention. I hear that the number is being retired, one can only hope.

 

I've always had the issue with having to finish a complete collection.

As far as trains are concerned I have every MTHRRC 200 series car,  the 400E  and the 392 they did several years ago.   I'm still on the hunt for the purple comet cars, which I've never seen up for sale anywhere. 
I also have every LTC 200 series car and dealer appreciation car as well as one of the 400E 'S.   I saw Sidetrack Hobbies had one that I didn't have but at $900 for the engine I stopped myself.

I just pre-ordered the recently announced 400E in Lionel colors and I continue my dual membership in the 200 series MTHRRC clubs so I get the yearly cars.  I really need to stop!

Somehow I got hooked on the Lionel "I 'LOVE' (United States) box car series. (I even sprang for the matching engine and caboose at the finale... arrrrgh)!

At the start, it was fun to discover which state was going to be featured each year and slowly collect the cars. After a few years though, Lionel realized people wouldn't/couldn't wait 50 years to collect the entire series... so they started issuing two and then four cars each year. I don't know why, but that spoiled it for me. I continued collecting them but it was never the same.

 

Other series I collect are the annual Lionel Christmas box car, Lionel LRRC cars, KCC membership cars.

Of course the answer to the problem is to build a double helix or spiral layout and buy stronger motor power. That way you can operate longer consists in a small area.

The only problem I see is convincing your wife this is necessary.

Thanks, you just reminded me I have collected all the York cars plus the MTH MTHRRC Tinplate cars-that is insanity, not remembering all my collections.

Scott Smith

I collect mostly Pennsy by Lionel so that's a given, but also:

Lionel Handcars

JC Penney special cars

Boy's and Girl's train add-ons

 

I've stopped Warner Bros., Army, and Disney

If I'm buying F3's, E8's, Alco PA's E6's and they offer extra "B" units, I will purchased them to complete the sets. Whenever I buy passenger sets, I try to purchase all of the passenger cars that are offered with the set. I find that if I don't get them when they are offered, it's hard to find them after they have been released...ex: all of the passenger cars that goes with MTH 2007 Vol.1 Norfolk-Southern OCS set. I purchased the engines and extra "B" unit, 2- car and 5- car passenger sets, But I don't have the vista dome and the other 2-car set that was offered..........and it's HARD to find the other cars that I don't have!!!!!.....................rogerw.

I am collecting all of the president cars now.  I also think I have all of the USCG cars that haave been made.

Lionel and GP ore cars, makes for a very, very long mining consist.

I don't have any as I limited by buying to not include diesel engines,  but has anyone collected the complete set of Norfolk Southern heritage engines?

I think we've all tripped into this addiction at one point or another with this hobby... and it IS an addiction.  But you can beat it!  Most often, it's the realization that the sheer acquisition of a COMPLETE collection of some "series" of cars is simply unattainable for whatever the reason that may help cure the addiction.  Too much of any one thing tends to numb the senses after awhile.

 

Years ago, lots of us thought Atlas-O reefers were gonna be this generation's "collectable equivalent" of Postwar 6464 boxcars. Then, little by little, we realized Atlas-O was gonna produce so many of them -- some of which would only be available from stealthly-announced "special runs" -- that collecting them all would require a small warehouse.   That's the death-knell of collecting for me -- not to mention there's always the items produced in reportedly low quantities which generate all kinds of angst when dealers play pricing games with "difficult to find" items.  

 

Since I've been in collection thinning mode for a few years now, I have no illusions of starting a "collection" of anything again these days.  Once you start thinning out the ranks, you realize all this stuff is -- well -- just stuff.  Just be thankful that this hobby has a secondary market where most of the "stuff" has some perceived value.

 

Much more "healthy" to just enjoy the trains you purchase by running them, rather than simply accumulating for the sake of having a "complete" collection of stuff on display... Or to collect them 'cause you think they'll be viewed as more valuable down the road.  Admittedly, a large wall display of any collection can look impressive -- but even that wears off after awhile.

 

Yes... It's a terrific feeling to say I've been cured of Atlas-O "reefer madness" for quite some now.     In fact, I don't even look twice at the new Atlas-O reefer product announcements anymore.  That's when you know you've broken free of the grips of yet another toy train addiction.  

 

David

I have 8 engines so far! I'm working on getting the other 12! My local train dealer is holding them for me................rogerw.

I had some collector fettishes, but they all ended before the series was complete.

First there was the MTH Rail King state series of box cars that faded away before reaching a third of the states.

Next came the Rail King chrome oil tanker cars which became too expensive and too diversified. 

Perhaps my most devoted collection fettish was the Westren Hobbycraft trolley cars. Unfortunately the sad demise of the owner brought this fantastic product line to an early end.

Since having to sell much of my train collection to finance a divorce back in 1993, I stared a new system where anything I purchased must be able to fit on the layout or on available display shelving.  This has made a big difference but I must admit that I am still finding places for additional shelving in my layout room.

 

Thanks, Scott, for posting the video of the Monopoly train as I have never seen one and did not realize there even was a complete set.  It is quite colorful an attractive.

 

Happy railroading,

Don

Before I realized the mistake with having too many MTH diecast reefers, I had already accumulated at least 200 pounds worth of dead weight.

Today they're sitting like boat anchors under the layout in a stack it'll take a tow truck to remove..

Joe

When Department 56 introduced the Dickens Village, I like many others, had to have it all. Then came the Christmas in the City series & North Pole. Before I knew it, we had hundreds of buildings.

 

I finally smartened up when we ran out of room. That was the beginning and the end of my Collector Series infatuation. Thank goodness! 

I understand.  The urge to collect comes and goes.  I, too started back into the hobby in 1995.  What actually reactivated the "train gene" was the issue of OGR with The General on the front!  I bought rather indiscriminately for those first few years, hampered (fortunately) by a lack of funds.  I have a number of cars of various flavors, time periods, and roads that I acquired in those early years.  As time went by and my thinking formed around the layout plans and timeframe, the random buying stopped.

 

Over the past 5 years I have concentrated on thinning the herd.  I still buy the occasional item that catches my eye, but that urge is much weaker now.  The other limit is layout space.  I once owned 18 ore cars - way too many to realistically run on the layout.  I am down to around 12-13; enough to store in 2 cuts on my below layout storage yard.  I still have way too many boxcars, but I'll live with that.

 

George

But you’ve got to admit, the hunt for those elusive last few pieces is a lot of fun (and frustration)!  Checking all of the printed and on-line ads, looking at every closely resembling item on every table at every train show. 

 

And once you complete a series you have that feeling of satisfaction for awhile, but the fun is over.  So to get the fun back, you need to start a new hunt to complete a different series.  It’s a never ending spiral!

 

Happy New Year!

 

Bill 

The problem is, as long as folks keep buying into a series, especially with Lionel, the series morphs into another series that ties into the original series 

The original 30 car modern era 6464's is a great example of a good idea that mutated itself into oblivion..

Joe

Yes Scott....for many years I had the same affliction but finally decided that I simply had so much of this stuff that it spent most of its time in the box and I never enjoyed it...no more thank goodness...it all went to the "bay" several years ago.  Wait till you see what little $$$ you get back..

 

Alan

Oops, forgot I still collect something else, for which not many, luckily, are produced or

offered for separate sale:  RPO cars for western road names...another controlled addiction.  MTH has had several, Lionel very few.

Agreed. This makes about as much sense to me as people who buy 'collector plates,' and gotta have them all.

Okay, if you collect them because you like them, I'm all for that. But I know so many people who bought entire runs like that because they thought it was an investment.

No, something specifically made as 'collectible' as almost anything but that.

"But they only made half a million of them, v/s the normal ten million production runs!" people will counter. I will argue that such things are usually bought to held onto. And there's no reason to believe that the mfg might one day make ten million more and collapse your percieved 'value.'

And values can just drop out from under a collector. Look what happened to Beenie Babies. How many people 'invested' in them and now they're worth pennies on the dollar to what the people paid for those 'hard to find' ones?

Anyone who's into old collectibles will tell you that the rarest things to find today were the useable items that most got used up and are tought to find today. I always tell people that if you collect something, it should be either:

• Already old and already tough to find
• Something you don't care that the value never goes up and want it just because you really like it and for no other reason